[LargeFormat] Advice on Purchase

[Stein]

Dear Joe,

    Mr. Tigershark gave some very good advice, and I thoroughly concur with
him on his opinion of the Schneider lenses. My first LF lens was a 150
Symmar S and it is still in use for most of my studio sharp work. The studio
soft work is done with a 240 Rodenstock Imagon in a very old shutter. Also
thoroughly reccommended.

    But with your particular imaging interests....why not go and prod the
dusty shelves of the local flea market and see what falls off. I have also
used a Bausch and Lomb (SP?) salvaged from Granddad's old Kodak 3A mounted
on a cardboard lens panel. ( Oh, the joys of Crescent board and a roll of
gaffer tape....) It had MASSIVE coverage and a remarkable image quality. And
stops that were not f stops...looked up the old Kodak manuals to discover
what the aperture really was.

    Then again the local bring and buy for camera collectors yielded a
barrel mounted Beck Symmetrical  for US  $ 25 that has given some of the
warmest and most evocative images for Victorian pictures. No wonder- it is a
Victorian lens.

     As for camera body, I note from the US magazines we get here that the
Linhof firm is selling a package deal for students incorporating a Schneider
lens and a Kardan E camera that is close to your price range. Beleive me,
the Kardan E is the best value Linhof that you will ever see and if you get
a chance to consider it, you won't go wrong in any technical sense. I bought
one as it was 1/4 of the price of the next equivalent in the Linhof range
here  and while I had to wait for delivery, it has proved to be all I hoped
for. Now I have to figure how to lug it to weddings and set it up for the
Big Picture.

     Uncle Dick

PS: The answer to it is Igor -  my assistant. One eye, hunch back, dressed
in rags - " Yethh, Matthter..." I'll strap the tripod to him like an army
mule and lead him through the town.